Paper carriage for accounting machines



April 7, 1942.v

w. A'. ANDERSON 2,278,820

PAPER CARRIAGE FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES I Filed June 26, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WALTER A. ANDERSON April 7, 1942- w. A. ANDERSON 2,278,820

PAPER CARRIAGE FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed June 26, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WALTER A. ANDERSON BY {5 I ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 7, 1942 PAPER CARRIAGE FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINE-S Walter .ArAnderson, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, New York, Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 26, 1940, .Serial No. 342,547

3 Claims.

This invention relates to paper carriages for accountingmachines, and more particularly to a means for facilitating the insertion of paper around the platen.

It is customary on accounting machine carriages-to employ a series of narrow metal bands distributed along'and encircling a substantial part of the platen to guide the leading edge of the sheets during paper insertingoperations and hold the sheets snugly against the platen during line spacing and printing operations. The clearance between the inner surfaces of these bands and the outer surface of the platen is just sufficient to accommodate the, thicknesses of one or several sheets of paper, and'in consequence necessarily hampers and retards the easy introduction ofthe leading edges of new sheets of paper when they are being introduced around the platen.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a simple andeifective means for readily releasing the platen bands from a position where they closely embrace the platen .contour to a position wheresufficient clearance is provided between the bands and theplaten topermit free and'easy introduction of sheets.

Another object is to provide a means for latching the bands in such released positionuntil the paper introducing operation. has been accomplished, whereupon they may be readily restored to their normal :or paper holding position.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention :consistsin certain novel features of construction and combinations of 'parts, the esal elements of which are-set forth in appended claims, and a preferred embodiment of which is: hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany andiorm'part of the specification.

Inthe drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective-view ofa carriage embodying the invention,

Figure 2' is a right side elevation showing a paper guide band in its normal orpaper. holding position,

Figure 3- is a View similar toiFigure 2 but with the band released and latched in position to facilitate the easy introduction :of work sheets, and

Figure 4 is a detail right side elevation of a deten-t associated with certain front feed paper mechanism.

The invention is illustratedin connection with the type of carriage used on the machine disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,194,270, issued to Oscar J. Sundstrand on March 19, 1940, and is adaptable for use on the type of carriage disclosed in U. S. Patents. Nos. 2,060,954 and 2,185,425, issued to Oscar J.- Sundstrand and Walter A. Anderson on November 17, 1936, and

. January2, 19.40, respectively, or on that disclosed ml]. S. Application of Walter A. Anderson, Serial No. 92,164, filed July 23, 1-936.

Carriage in general 'may be rotated automatically during operations of the machine by the customary feed pawl and ratchet mechanism (not shown) as disclosed in the above mentioned patent.

Mechanism for guiding and holding the paper In introducing the I paper, it is passed downwardly over a paper table 6, suitably secured between the carriage side walls 5, and having its lower edge terminating a short distance in back of the platen (Figures 2 and 3). The lower edge of the paper engages between the platen and paper feed rolls I mounted in cradles such as 8 pivoted on brackets such as 9 secured to the rear side of the paperv table 6. Rolls 1 are tensioned against the platen by springs such as It. Upon a slight turn of the platen by .knobs 3, the paper is, advanced between rolls 1 and platen 2, and upon further rotation of the platen is guided under and around the platen by bands I l, preferably formed of narrow, thin and yieldingmaterial. Bands ll encircle the lower, forward and upper portions of the platen, and are secured at their lower endstohooks l2 embracing a rod l3 secured between the carriage side walls. The upper ends of the bands fit in slots It provided in brackets I1, and are each provided with slots through which pass screws l9 7 secured in brackets I'I.

2'1 that rests against a paper ide plate 28.

The guide plate is provided at its opposite ends with r rearwardly projecting lugs 3! that rest against paper table 8. Upstanding ears 29 on the ends of plate 28 (Figures 2 and 3) are pivoted on rod 26. adjacent the carriage side plates. Lugs 34 and .zstud 21 serve to hold the plates in spaced relation and at proper angles (Figures 1 and 2), for deflecting the paper upwardly as it leaves the platen. Strong springs 32, connected between the lower edge of plate 25 and pins 33 in the carriage side plates, normally tension plate 25 to this position. In such position bands ll lie close to the platen, as shown in Figure 2.

A mechanism similar to the mechanism disclosed in the above enumerated patents is pro-. vided on the carriage for supporting front fed paper. Briefly, this mechanism includes. a bail 35 comprised of a pair of rods 36 and 31, extending across the carriage and secured at their opposite ends to arms 38. Arms 38 are pivoted-on semi-cylindrical studs 4|, and are held in engagement therewith by studs 42 (Figures 1 and 2). The semi-cylindrical studs 4| are secured to spacing plates 43, which in turn are secured to the carriage side walls 5. Rods 36 and 31 support suitable paper guides (not shown) for receiving front fed forms.

Bail 35 is arranged to be swung from the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, which may be called the closed position, to the position shown in Figure 3, which may be called the open position, and is held in either its open or closed position by a detent 46 (Figure 4) pivoted on arm 38 at 41. Detent 46 is provided with a spring 48 to hold either of two notches in the detent in engagement with a stud secured in the left carriage side wall 5. Pressure rolls 44 (Figure l) are rotatably mounted in supporting brackets 45 adjustable along rod 31, and serve to bend and hold front fed forms around the platen when the bail is in its closed position.

Platen band release mechanism Mechanism is provided to release bands H from paper holding position, and to latch the bands in a position where sufficient clearance,

carries a pin 53 lying forwardly of and beneath a shoulder 54 in a latch lever 55. Lever 55 is pivoted at 56 on the left carriage side wall 5 and has a cam surface 51 at its forward end. Aspring 6|, connected between lever 55 and lever 52, normally tensions lever against a stop 58 on arm 38.

When a new form is to be inserted, bail 35 is swung from closed position (Figure 2) to open position (Figure 3), removing stud 58 from beneath cam surface 51 and permitting the lower edge of lever 55 to rest on pin 53 under the tension of spring El. The operator then presses lever 52 rearwardly, rotating rod 26 and tear 55 downwardly plate 25 clockwise against the tension of spring move outwardly away from the platen, materially increasing the clearance between the bands and the platen. The paper is inserted downwardly past plate 6 until its lower edge engages between the platen and feed rolls 1. Now, upon rotation of knobs 3, as the paper is fed around platen 2,

the substantial clearance between the bands and the platen facilitates its introduction. Adjustment of the paper into proper first line printing alignment may be made by removing rolls 1 from feeding relation with the platen in the usual manner, through the medium of a lever 62. Following such adjustment, feed rolls 1 are restored to feeding relation with the platen by restoring lever 62.

Bail 35 is then swung from open position (Figure 3) back to its normal or closed position (Figure 2). During this movement, stud 58 reengages cam surface 51, camming lever 55 upwardly against the tension of spring 6| and withdrawing shoulder 54 from engagement with pin 53. Withdrawal of shoulder 54 permits plate 25 to swing downwardly under the tension of spring 32, restoring the bands to normal position to hold the newly inserted form snugly against the platen. 7

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form of embodiment herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In a paper carriage, a platen, a front feed means including a bail movable from a feeding position when engaged with the platen to a paper insertion position spaced from the platen, a rear feed means, bands partially encircling the platen to facilitate introduction of rear fed sheets, means, including a manipulative lever, whereby the bands may be moved toward or away from the platen, means for latching the manipulative lever in one position when the bail is in paper insertion position, and means for releasing the latching means upon movement of the bail to feeding position. I

2. In a paper carriage, a platen, a front feed means including a bail movable from a feeding position when engaged with the platen to a paper insertion position spaced from the platen, a rear feed means, bands partially encircling the platen to facilitate introduction of rear fed sheets, means, including a manipulative lever, whereby the bands may be moved toward or away from the platen, means, operable when the bail is in paper insertion position, for latching the manipulative lever in the position it occupies when the bands are moved away from the platen, means whereby movement of the bail to feeding position releases the latching means, and means for thereupon automatically moving the bands toward the platen.

3. In a paper carriage, a platen, feed rolls, a bail mechanism supporting said rolls, said bail mechanism being movable to place the feed rolls into or out of feeding relation with the platen, a support above the platen, a portion of said support being movable toward and away from the platen, a plurality of guides lying around the platen and having their upper ends connected to the support, so that movement of the support moves the guides away from the platen to facilitate insertion of forms around the platen, a manipulative member for moving said support, a latch for engaging said manipulative member when it is operated to move the guides away from the platen, while the said feed rolls are out of feeding relation with the platen, and means on said bail mechanism cooperating with means on said latch to render the latch ineffective when the bail member is moved to place the feed rolls into feeding relation with the platen.

WALTER A. ANDERSON. 

